Process for treating meat

Abstract

A process for treating meat to raise myosin protein to the surface of the meat and to increase the absorption of fluid or additives by first crushing and mashing the meat and then simultaneously shaking and tumbling the meat in a preferred manner while keeping the meat refrigerated and under a vacuum.

I claim: 
     
       1. A process for treating a quantity of meat pieces to raise myosin to the surface of the meat and increase fluid and additive absorption and retention comprising tumbling the meat pieces in a partially loaded container having an interior cavity with a substantially rectangular vertical cross-section by rotating the container about an axis perpendicular to said cross-section whereby the meat tumbles over itself and cycles from a top portion of the mass of meat pieces in the container to a bottom portion of the mass while simultaneously shaking the container and the meat up and down with a reciprocating motion in the plane of said cross-section whereby the meat pieces are alternately compressed and relieved while being shook.   
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 including pre-treating the meat pieces to cause the myosin in the meat to be released and to tenderize and make the meat pliable before shaking and tumbling the pieces. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of both the myosin is released and the meat is tenderized and made pliable by mashing, crushing, and puncturing the meat under pressure. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1 wherein the meat is also refrigerated while it is being tumbled and shook. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 1 wherein the meat is also under a vacuum while it is being tumbled and shook. 
     
     
       6. A process for treating meat comprising mashing, crushing, and puncturing the meat under pressure whereby the myosin proteins are released and the meat is made pliable, and then tumbling the meat in a relatively smooth walled partially loaded container having a substantially cylindrical interior cavity, said container being rotated end-for-end about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said cavity while simultaneously shaking said container and said meat pieces up and down a predetermined distance with a reciprocating motion generally in a plane normal to the axis of rotation.   
     
     
       7. The process of claim 6 wherein the meat is tumbled at a rate between one (1) and twenty-five (25) revolutions per minute. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 6 wherein the meat is reciprocated at a rate between twenty-five (25) and five hundred (500) cycles per minute. 
     
     
       9. the process of claim 6 wherein the meat is also refrigerated while it is being tumbled and shook. 
     
     
       10. The process of claim 6 wherein the meat is also under a vacuum while it is being tumbled and shook. 
     
     
       11. A process for treating meat comprising tumbling the meat in a smooth walled partially loaded container having a substantially cylindrical interior cavity, said container being rotated about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said interior cavity at a rate between one (1) and twenty-five (25) revolutions per minute, shaking the meat and the container up and down in a plane normal to said axis of rotation and at a rate between twenty-five (25) and five hundred (500) cycles per minute while it is being tumbled,   refrigerating the meat while it is being tumbled and shook,   and performing the tumbling, shaking, and refrigerating actions while the meat is under a vacuum.   
     
     
       12. The process of claim 11 wherein the meat before it is tumbled and shook is mashed, crushed, and punctured by causing it to move between a roller having radial projections on its outer surface and a pressure plate which forces the meat against the roller. 
     
     
       13. The process of claim 11 wherein the meat is tumbled in a container having means for additionally working the meat to more quickly raise the myosin to the surface of the meat. 
     
     
       14. The process of claim 12 wherein at least a portion of the container is reciprocated up and down through a predetermined distance between one-fourth (1/4) and two (2) inches.